Lee (DropShip class)

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Lee (DropShip).jpg
Lee Class DropShip
Production information
Manufacturer Terran Hegemony
Use Heavy 'Mech Transport
Type Military Spheroid
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Technical specifications
Mass 17,000 tons
Structural Integrity 25
Length 98 Meters meters
Width 98 Meters meters
Height 117 Meters meters
Drive System Fusion
Safe Thrust 2.5g
Max Thrust 4g
Fuel (tons) 850
Fuel (days) 1.84
Armament 9 x Gauss Rifles
7 xERPPCs
8 x ER Large Lasers
6 x AC/20
14 x (Artemis IV) LRM 20s
26 x Medium Lasers
Armor Ferro-Aluminum Armor
Crew 4 Officers
7 Enlisted/Non-Rates
15 Gunners
30 Marines
102 Bay Personnel
Passengers None
Heat Sinks 203 (406)
BV (1.0) ???
BV (2.0) 14,393



Description

Produced a few decades before the Amaris Coup, the Lee Class DropShip was one of the last major military transports to be produced for the SLDF prior to its conquest by Stefan Amaris. Pitched by three major naval yards in the Terran Hegemony, the Lee proposal was presented to SLDF Commanding General Aleksandr Kerensky in 2749. The design was part of his vision to streamline the number of DropShip Military Classes. His effort were focused in the creation of a heavily armed and armored vessel that could carry a large payload of SLDF troops into battle quicker than any current design currently in service. Twice the size of a SLDF's standard Overlord, the Lee's primary design was configured to carry a reinforced battalion worth of BattleMechs, while supported by a single squadron of AeroSpace Fighters. Kerensky's efforts to get the Lee into production was not easy, due to pass political entanglement caused creation boondoggles designs to be produced, such as Colossus Class DropShip. However, the unpopular Star Lord Richard Cameron's efforts to prevent the design from entering production proved to be beneficial in having it approved by his Star League Council. The Lee entered production in 2756.

The Lee saw its first major action during the Periphery Uprising, where its ability to move large numbers of troops quickly proved to be a boon for the SLDF. However, the ship's large carry capacity became liability during invasion of the occupied Hegemony. Space Defense System's Casper fleet of drones effectively destroyed a large number of these ships, causing a number of troops to be lost. Shortly after, these ships would be left in SLDF's reserves until the landings on Terra where they were deployed in large numbers. Few of these ships survived to join the Exodus Fleet to deep Periphery with General Kerensky and those remaining ships would be later lost in fighting during the Pentagon Civil War.[1]

Armaments

The Lee has following weapons per Firing Arc;

Nose

2 Gauss Rifles, 3 ERPPCs, 3 ER Large Lasers with cluster 4 Medium Lasers, and pair of Artemis IV Guided Twenty-Tubed LRMs.

Forward Right/Left Arcs

2 Gauss Rifles w/single 20 Class Autocannon, 2 ERPPCs, 1 ER Large Laser with cluster 4 Medium Lasers, and pair of Artemis IV Guided Twenty-Tubed LRMs.

Aft Right/Left Arcs

1 Gauss Rifles w/single 20 Class Autocannon, 2 ERPPCs, 1 ER Large Laser with cluster 4 Medium Lasers, and trio of Artemis IV Guided Twenty-Tubed LRMs.

Aft

1 Gauss Rifles w/20 Class Autocannon, 2 ER Large Lasers with cluster 6 Medium Lasers, and pair of Artemis IV Guided Twenty-Tubed LRMs.

Cargo

Bay 1: BattleMechs (40) - 4 Doors
Bay 2: Fighters (6) - 2 Doors
Bay 3: Small Craft (2) - 1 Door
Bay 4: Cargo (967 tons) - 1 Door

Variants

The Lee was produced in four different configurations, with the later design produced limited numbers.[1]

  • Lee Aerospace Carrier 
    This variant was designed to carry 40 AeroSpace Fighters & single Squadron of Small Craft. This verion of the Lee would lead to the creation of the the Vengeance Class Aerospace Carrier DropShip.
  • Lee Cargo Transport 
    An Short lived design, which only saw three ships produced. This variant was designed as a blockade runner with 8,000 ton cargo capacity. Giving the SLDF ability to run vital military cargo quickly to battlefield.

Design Notes

The design carries 90 tons of Ferro-Aluminum armor. It has been fitted out with 3 First-Class passenger quarters and 20 Second-Class Passenger quarters.[1]

Notes

As of this writing, only the featured 'Mech carrier design has a canon record sheet found in H:LoT2.

Catalyst Game Lab's official Website, Master Unit List, as of this writing does not list the Lee (DropShip) or its variants at this time.

The fluff indicating that CV version of the Lee was what brought on the creation of the Vengeance was written prior to the design introduction date being retconned to earlier century.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Historical: Liberation of Terra, pp. 148-149 & 159 "Lee-Class (DropShip)"

Bibliography